I believe there are people that, like me, have to work while traveling and at the same time being there for my family, especially my kids.
So. I’ve got a 5 years old daughter who sees me as her superhero. I’m a safe haven in times of insecurity, shyness, illness, homework helper, full-time playmate (because if it was up to her, it would be 24/7), the best shower companion (I let her play in the shower), the best meal companion (I serve the least food), and the anti-bogeyman protector at bedtime.
Once I was tucking her in bed and she said softly in my ear “Daddy, I don’t like it when you go on your trips ‘cause I get scared.” I replied “But dear, It’ll be quick and daddy’ll be back tomorrow. Mommy’ll put you to sleep and protect you like daddy does.” And then she hit me with “But I’m scared you won’t come back.”
Right in the feels, wasn’t it? This melts even the coldest of hearts.
In times like these, we ask ourselves: How to deal with both worlds? I’ll try and explain how we deal with it here at Knowledge21.
We work with a “constraints system” based on Management 3.0, and this allows me to set a limit to business trips per week, for example. I can also set restrictions to meeting times or messaging times on the team app (we’re a company that works in a decentralized way). This way I can manage to balance working time and family time.
Furthermore, Knowledge21 allows me to pick 30 days a year, back to back, or sprinkled all over, not to be involved in any work at all. All of it is agreed with the team, of course. It may be necessary that someone covers for me during some activity, after all.
These not so tangible benefits are known as intrinsic motivations and, unlike wages or positions, they usually have a crazy higher value to those who have them.
Providing a safe, happy, peaceful environment focused on people and their families is something that sets Knowledge21 apart. After all, our goal is to transform people and organizations implementing and empowering True Agile, and we’re quite proud when we can use our own company as an example to explain how True Agile works.
In spite of being a “superhero”, though, I still cannot live in both worlds at the same time. However, the flexibility of organizing my schedule between the needs of my work and that which my family wishes for allows me to be a more present father, full of energy and joy to play, and full of energy and joy to work.
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